Mechanism for



E. L. SMITH.

MECHANISM FOR APPLYING STAMPS, LABELS, AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION man mm as. mus.

lg fip fi o fiatarmwl June 10, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET I- INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

E. L. SMITH. MECHANISM FOR APPLYlNG STAMPS, LA SELS, AND THE LIKE.

M'PUCAHON FILED YrZ'AY l8. IQIB.

E. L. SMITH.

MECHANISM FOR APPLYING STAMPS, LABELS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION man MAYIB. 1918.

1,306,359. Patented June 10, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I IN VEN TOR. gf/fll f #M I ATTORNEYS.

* movement of the nipper and so arranged as UNITED STATES PAT T ELMER L. SMITH, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO PACKAGE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION V OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MECHANISM FOR- APPLYING STAMPS, LABELS, AND THE LIKE. I

Specification of Zetters Patent. Patnted June 10, 1919.,

Continuation in part of application Serial No. 219,985, filed March 2, 1918. This application filed May 18, 1918. Serial No. 235.357.

T 0 all whom it may concern: V

Be it known that I, ELMER L. SMITH, a citizen of the United Statesand a resident of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Applyin Stamps, Labels, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for applying stamps, labels, or the like, to articles. The invention is capable of general application and may be used to apply labels, either gummed or ungummed, to articles, either wrapped or otherwise, as desired. However, the inven-" tion finds one advantageous use in wrapping machines of the type disclosed in my 00- pending application Serial No."219,985, filed. March 2, 1918. In such machines the mechanism is utilized to seal the overlapped ends of a band or wrapper by the application of a gummed stamp thereto.

An object of the invention is to provide a structural arrangement, including as parts feeding, severing, coating and affixing devices, all combined into and working. in 00- ordination as a single mechanism which may conveniently 'be applied as an attachment to existing machines, such as wrapping machines, to permit the application of stamps, labels,v or the like,'to articles.

Another object of the invention isto provide in a mechanism of the type set forth, a combined stamp conveying nipper and stamp-afiixing plunger, the two elements being combined so as to insure that the con veyed stamp is at all times correctly positionedwith the plunger and so as to permit a rapid application of the stamp to the article.

I Afurther object of the invention is to provide in a mechanism of the type described and in combination with the stamp-conveying nipper, a supply of stamps in continuous strip form, the strip arranged to be intermittently grasped and drawn out by the nipper, and a severing means, controlled by to sever the strip only afteran accurately measured and predetermined length of the strip has been drawn out by the nipper. I

intervalsbf rest of the latter and operable 'slmultaneously by a single actuating means,

to the end that the interval of rest necessary for the described operations may be made'relatively short by making the two operations occurduring different intervals of rest and by a speedy accomplishment of the two operations under the control of a single actuating means.

A further object of the invention is to provlde in a device of the character described generally improved mechanical structure.

Other objects and advantages will appear 1n the following description and in the appended claims. i

The invention, in an embodiment at present preferred, is shown for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawings, in which:

. Figure 1 is a sectional elevational view of amachine embodying'the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial exterior elevational view of the machine, illustrating certain driving connections;

Fig. 3 isa cross-sectional View taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of certain parts shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, showing a detail in the construc-' of stamps, as employed in the machine;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the .driving connections for the stamp-feeding and affixing mechanism;

Fig.- 13 is a perspective view illustrative of the manner of applying a stamp'to an article;

Fig. 14 is a view taken similarly to Fig. 6, showing a modification; and

Fig. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the device shown in Fig. 14.

The machine, in general, comprises a suitable passageway, as a chute, through which the articles to be stamped may travel; mechanism to move the articles step by step through the passageway; means to successively feed articles to the passageway and other means to remove them therefrom; a supply of stamps, labels or the like at a distance from the passageway; a moistener, or an adhesive-applying means if ungummed labels or stamps are used, which is periodically engageable with the articles as they come to rest in one position in the passage way; and a combined gripper and a stampafiixing device movab e to the supply to grasp the stamp during movement of the articles and operable as the articles come to rest in another position in the passageway to apply the stamp to the articles.

1 The means for supporting the articles during the application of the stamps thereto will first be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 3. Two tracks a, suitably supported from a main frame A, are mounted in spaced parallel relation, and along these tracks article's b, as cakes of soap or the like,.may be propelled by means to be described. Preferably, side walls 0 are provided on tracks a to laterally guide the articles, as well as'an upper wall d to hold the articles to tracks a. The parts a, c, and d constitute a chute through which the articles may pass.

The articles may be fed to the left end of the chute by any suitable means. For example, a tumble-box e, having two opposed article-receiving pockets to successively aline with the described chute, may be used as a means .for delivering the articles intosuch proximity to the chute that they can be removed by the article-propelling means to be described. Tumble-box 6 may be rotatably supported from frame A and intermittently turned in the manner disclosed in my copending application above referred to. The tumble-box 6, when utilized as an articlefeeding means, may also be used to apply a wrapper about the sides of the articles, as also disclosed in said application. Thus, a wrapper or band f may be applied to each article 5, as shown in Fig. 13. The, overlapping ends of band 7 may-then be sealed by the application of a gummed stamp g by the mechanism later to be described.

, The articles may be removed from the chute by a second tumble-box it, generally similar in construction to tumble-box e described. The articles I), after the application of stamp g to the overlapped ends of band f, may be thrust into one of the pockets of tumble-box e by the means which feeds the articles through the chute. Tumble-box it may be utilized to perform a wrapping operation as disclosed in the above-named application. Both tumble-boxes are arranged to turn simultaneously through an arc of 180 degrees and then to remain at rest for a definite time interval.

' -During the interval of rest of the tumbleboxes 6. and h, the articles are moved along the tracks a by the article-feeding means. As an illustration of one suitable articlefeeding means, but without any idea of limiting the invention to this specific type of feeding means, the following structure will be described. Slidably mounted for vertical reciprocation in suitable guides 71 which demental gear 22, which is fixed to a stub shaft 23 rotatably supported in bracket 71,

meshes with each rack-bar 20. Also fixed to each shaft 23 is an arm 24 and the two arms 24 are connected by a link 25 so as to move in unison to raise and lower frame. 21 equally at each end. An arm 26, pivotally connected at one end to link 25, is forked at itsother'end to engage a shaft 27 for guiding purposes. Shaft 27, which is suitably supported in frame A and may be driven from any suitable source of power,'bears a disk 28 and arm 26 bears a roll which rides in a suitable path-cam formed in one face of disk 28, whereby vertical movements of 'frame 21 may be obtained. Slidable horizontally on frame 21 is a frame 29, which is connected by a link 30 to the upper end of a. lever 31. The latter is fulcrummed at its The frame 29 has fixed thereto in horizontally spaced relation. three upstanding fingers 34 which are arranged to move between the spaced tracks a as shown in Fig. 3, the bed of frame A being suitably slotted to receive the arms. One wallof each pocket oftumble-box e is likewise slotted, as indicated in Fig. 1, to permit the left hand finger 34 to move vertically into the tumblebox behind the article 25 therein, and thereafter move horizontally out of the tumblebox and into the chute to transfer the article from the former to the latter into a position for either moistening or gumming the overlapped ends of band f. The second finger34 is similarly and simultaneously" operable to move the article from the last-named position into position for the application of the stamp to the ends of band f. The third Y adhesive-applying and stamp-aflixing-mechanism.

The structure heretofore described forms strictly no part. of the present invention, and the invention is independent of the particular means employed for. feeding the articles. The invention is particularly concerned with the means for feeding and affixing to the articles, or to the overlapped ends of the band 7, stamps g or similar strips such as labels or the like. The articles I) come to rest, as already described, in two longitudinally-spaced positions on tracks a. In the first of these positions, the overlapped ends of band 7 are moistened preferably, 211- though it is within the scope of the inven tion to apply adhesive to the band 7 prior to the application of the stamp. In the second position, the stamp g, preferably gummed, is applied to the moistened overlapped ends of band 7, although obviously ungummed stamps or labels may be-em-v ployed if adhesive isapplied when the articlesare in the first-named position. The top 03 of the article-guiding chute isslotted as at 35, between the two positions in which the articles come to rest to permit the operation of the moistening or adhesive-applying mechanism and the stamp-affixing mechanism. a

The moistening mechanism, as shown in Fig. 6, consists of a container 36,which is adapted to be filledv with water and is provided at the bottom with an outlet 37 regulable by a needle-valve 38. Below the outlet 37 and supported from the container is a pad 39, of felt or other suitable absorbent material. The upper portion of the pad receives the regulable discharge from the outlet, 37, and the lower portion is arranged to engage and moisten band f. Referring now to Fig. 3, an arm 40 is pivoted at 41 to a. bracket j supported from bed A and is yieldingly held in the illustrated position by a spring 42 attached to a bridge is which is supported from bed A by a pair of col-- umns l. Projecting from one side of arm 40 is a lug 43, and spaced from the lug and laterally therefrom,

likewise projecting from the arm is a flat spring 44. The container 36 fits between lug 43 and spring 44, as indicated in Fig. 6, and has a In 45 which, as indicated in Fig. 1,,is adapte to engage the top of arm 40. Thus, the container may be removably held by arm 40 and so supported that, when arm 40 is depressed, by means later to be described, the lower face of pad 39 may oass through the described slot 35 and engage the article to moisten a portion of band f.

The stamp-affixing mechanism is also opera'ble through slot 35 but at a distance from the moistemng mechanism and in Fig. 3 appears in the'rear of the latter mechanism.

A suitable stamp-affixing plunger 46 is slidably mounted in a frame 47 pivoted at 48 to the bridge k. A spring 49 operates to normally hold plunger 46 in elevated position as illustrated. Loosely mounted intermediate its ends on a stud 50 fixed in a bracket m attached to bed A, is a lever 51, one end of which is forked (see also Fig. 4) to straddle plunger 46 and overlie a collar 52 thereon, whereby when the forked end of the lever is depressed the plunger 46 will be carried through the slot 35 into en age- 'ment with the overlapped ends of band f.

The other end of lever 51 has a roll to ride on a peripheral cam 52. Also loosely mounted on stud 50 and spaced from lever 51 is an arm 53, which as shown in Fig. 4 is rigidly connected by a cross-rod 54 to turn with the lever. Adjacent arm 53 and loosely mounted on stud 50 is an arm 55 which extends to the left of the stud, and

the free end of arm 55 is adapted to engage the described moistener supporting arm 40. A pin 56, fixed in arm 55 and projecting rests upon a lug 57 on arm 53 to prevent downward movement of arm 55 relatively to lever 51. A spring 58 is arranged between an upwardly-extending lug 59 on arm 55 and a like lug 60 on arm 53. As the lever 51 is actuated and its forked end moved downwardly, arm 53, through the intermediary of spring 58, moves arm 55 downwardly to engage and move the moistener supporting arm 40. As

soon asthe moistener pad 39 engagesthe band f with the desired pressure, spring 58 will compress and permit further movement of lever 51, if such is necessary, to cause the stamp-aflixing plunger 46 to engage the band i; On the return movement of lever 51 arm 55 will be lifted by the upward swinging movement of lug 57. The vertical reciprocatory movement of the moistener and the stamp aifixer, operating simultaneously at two spaced points on different packages, is thus obtained from a single cam, and any variation between the stroke of the two members is compensated by the spring 58 or by an adjusting screw 61 which is provided on arm 40 for engagement by arm 55.

' su plied in a Y in Fig. 3.

to sever strip g.

&

The stamp-affixing plunger 46, as described, is slidably supported from a frame 47 which may be swung from the position shown in Fi 3 to that shown in Fig. 7. An arm 62 ed to frame 47 is pivotally connected to one end of an arm 63, and the other end of the latter is forked to engage a shaft 64 which is suitably supported from bed A. Arm 63 has a roll WhlGll rides in a path-cam 65. Referring now to Fig. 12, the described cams 65 and 52 are fixed together and to a bevel gear 66, and these three members are mounted to loosely turn on shaft 64 and are suitably held, as indicated, from axial displacement on the shaft. A. bevel gear 67, meshing with gear 66, is rotatably supported on a stud 68 from bed A and is driven by a chain 68 (Fig. 2) and suitable sprockets from a shaft 69 which, in turn, is driven by a chain 70 (Fig. 1) and suitable sprockets from the main drive shaft 27- The stamps g are connected in continuous strip form as indicated. in Fig. 11 and are roll which is mounted. on an ar or 71 supported from bracket 51', as shown through a suitable slackener device, represented generally by reference numeral 72, to a table 73 (Fi 7) which is mounted upon the bracket 1'. 5 plate 74 fixed on a shaft 75 is yieldingly forced against the stri g on table 73 by means of a spring 76 1g. 3). A substantially U-shaped lever 77 (Fig. ft 75 and 1s yieldingly ar portion with the under faceof table 73, by a spring 78 (Fig. 7). The cross-bar portion of lever 77 bears a blade 79 (Figs. 7 and 9) which functions, as will later appear,

Slidably'mounted upon the lower end of frame 47 is a member 80 which is substantially U-shaped in cross-section toengage three sides of 'the frame and is held to the latter by a plate 81 which engages the fourth side of frame 47. The plate 81 is extended below the member 80 to cooperate as a grip-' 'aw 82 which is secured to rame 47. A bow spring 83 is fixed at one end to frame 47 and is engageable at its other end with the slidable mempin jaw with a the ower end of ber 80 and tends to hold jaws 81 and 82 in 'closed position. A member 84- is secured to frame '47 near its lower end and has a part passing through a slot in plate 81, as shown in Fig. 8, and the engagement of this part and slot limits the movement of slide 80 in both directions. The member 84 forms a uide for the lower end of the stamp-aflixing plunger 46 and is extended to project laterally beyond the frame 47 and downwardly (Fig. 8) to form a cam which is ada ted, as shown in Fig. 7, to engage a-roll on t e U-shaped lever 77 described.

hestrip g is led from the roll The slide 80 also carries a roll 85 (Figs. 7' and 8) which is adapted to ride upon the upper edge of a strip 86 (Fig. 3) which is fixed at both ends to an arm 87. The latter is pivoted at one end on the described rod 41, and underlying its other end is a lever 88. The latter is pivoted intermediate its ends to the bracket m and bears a roll which rides in a path-cam formed in one face of the peripheral cam 52, as best indicated in Fig. 12. It will thus be seen that the jaws 81 and 82, which are moved into closed position by springs 83, are capable of being is so positioned by its cam as'to hold lever 87, and thus strip 86, in raised position. The jaws 81 and 82 are therefore opened as shown in Fig. 7, The lever 51 and arm 55 are likewise in elevated position. During the movement of the articles, the frame 47 is swung from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 7, and the jaws '81 and 82, being held open during the swinging movement as just described, straddle the end of stri g which projects slightly beyond the en of table 73. As soon as the frame 47 has been positioned as in Fig. 7, the lever 88 is moved by its cam to allow strip 86 to drop sufliciently so that the jaws 81 and 82 may be snapped closed byspring 83 to grip the end'of strip 9. Thereu on, the frame 47 is swung toward the position shown in Fig. 3 and strip 9 is drawn along plate 7 3. As soon, however, as strip 9 has been moved a distance equal to that between the perforations g (Fi 11), the member 84 has been moved to re ease lever 77, which promptly snaps upwardly and severs the strlps, leaving a single stamp 9 held along one edge by thejaws 81 and 82. The blade 79, as shown in Fig. 9 is preferably provided with a serrated cutting edge to render the sever- .ing operation more effective. Thus, the many points in the upper edge of the blade may enter into the erforations g and, on account of their we ge-like character, readily sever those connecting portions of the strip between the perforations. Furthermore, if for any reason the severing does not take place on the upward movement of blade 79 or the severing is only partial, it will be readil seen that thepointsof' blade 79 will .hold t e strip while the nip er pulls the leading portions of the strip,--tlie stamp g,away from the rest of the strip. Thus, in any event a severingis insured and the nipper and blade 7 9' cooperate with one anthe movement of an article from one end of slot 35 to the other, the lever 88 other in the manner described to insure that the severing operation takes place at the proper time. The frame 47 is then moved into the position shown in Fig. 3 substantially at the time when. the article comes to rest (in under the right-hand end of slot 35) and is held in such position until the stamp is' aflix'ed. With an article at rest in such position and another article at rest in the left-hand end of slot 35, the cam '52 operates through the connections described to simultaneously depress the moistener pad 39 and the plunger 46 through the slot 35, and into engagement with band f. Substantially at the time when the plunger 46 en gages the stamp g, the lever88 is actuated to lift strip 86 and thus open jaws 81 and 82, whereby the stamp may be pressed upon the overlapped ends of band f, which ends have previously been moistened to soften the adhesive on the stamp by the pad 39. The overlapped ends of band f having'been sealed, the article is now ready to be ejected from the chute into tumble-box h as described.

Obviously, the moistenin device may be readily repladed with an a hesive-applying device, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15. Thus,

the container 36 may be replaced by a glue pot 89 which supplies a suitable adhesive qto a roll 90. A ratchet 91 fixed to the roll 90 and disposed on the exterior'of the glue pot 89, is engaged by ratchet teeth in an arm;92 which is pivotally su ported from the described plate at and is yieldingly held in engagement with the ratchet by a spring 98. The construction is such that on. an upward movement of arm 40, the ratchet 91 will turn and thus rotate roll 90 in the glue pot 89, but on a downward movement of arm 40 the teeth or ratchet 91 w1ll successively' cam the ratchet teeth in arm 92 to the left, whereby ratchet 91 and roll 90, will not be turned. The roll 90 functions.

similarly to the pad 39 described except that it applies adhesive'to the *overlapped ends of band 7' instead of simply moisten-.

ing them.

The operation of the machine will sufficiently appear from the foregoing description, but there are several features 1ncident to the operation of the machine which are important and should receive further.

tervals of rest of the articles in order to permit speedy operation of the machine. Thus, if the tWo operations were made to occur during a single interval of rest of the articles, such interval would have to be considerably longer than an interval Where only one operation occurs. The speed with which the finished articles are ejected from the machine is dependent in part on the interval of rest required of the articles, and, obviously, by shortening such interval, the speed of the machine may be increased. It is preferred to moisten the articles rather than to apply adhesive to them, and by so doing, the trouble frequently encountered heretofore, due to the gumming up of the machine by the adhesive encountering parts thereof, particularly movable parts, is eliminated. The arrangement becomes especially important Where, as here, it is not desired to coat the articles during the same interval of rest in which the stamp or label is applied.

The combined means for conveying stamps to the articles and aflixing them thereto is also important in a machine of the present character, wherein the articles must necessarily travel intermittently for other reasons, as for the wrapping operations heretofore mentioned. Due to the intermittent travel of the articles, the stamps can not well be rolled onto the articles, as has heretofore been proposed when the stamps or labels are supplied in continuous strip form.

"Furthermore, it'is preferred to apply the stamp by a single-quick straight-line movement, as distinguished from a slower rollling movement, in order to obtain a more speedy applicatlon of the'stamp. Thus, the

disclosed structure has been devised to meet these requirements and employs, instead of a combined feeding and afiixing roll for the labels, a combined nipper and stamp-aflixing plunger. By such arrangement, the supply of stamps may conveniently be located out of the way and at a distance from the line of travel of the articles, the nipper being movable to and fro between such sup- .ply and the articles during the travel of the latter and remaining at rest during intervals of rest of the articles to permit the application of the stamp, which -may obviously be accomplished in a relativelyshort interval.

By combining the nipper and stampafiixing plunger, it is insured that the stamp conveyed by the former will always be correctly positioned for application by the plunger. And this result is obtained with a comparatively simple arrangement, as distinguished from a separate movable nipper and a separate plunger which would require careful timing and rather more elaborate mechanism to obtain the same result. The stamp-afiixing plunger also combines with the moistener or adhesive-applying means, in the sense that the two are made to operate simultaneously by a single actuating means.

The entire stamp-afiixing mechanism is characterized by coordination and cooperation of the several elements, to the end that one actuating means is made to accomplish two mechanical movements wherever possible, with the idea not only of eliminating unnecessary parts but also of insuring that the two movements are properly and accurately timed one to the other. Thus,the swinging nipper is made to operate the severing blade, and by so doing, it is insured that the severing operation will occur only after the nipper has drawn out an ac curately measured and predetermined length of the stamp strip.

The invention has been disclosed, in an embodiment at present preferred, for illustrative purposes, but the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.

What I claim is 1. In a machine of the class described, means to move articles step by step, means located at a distance from the path of the articles to support a strip with an end exposed for grasping, a nipper movable back and forth between said second named means and the path of the articles and operable to grip the exposed end of a strip, carry the latter into position to be applied to an article, and release the strip when thus positioned, and means constantly in definite cooperative relation with the nipper during its travel and operable upon release of the strip by the latter to force the strip against an article.

2. In a machine of the class described, means to intermittently feed articles into position to be stamped, a nipper having relatively movable gripping jaws and mounted to move toward and away from said position, means to guide a continuous strip of stamps into position to be grasped by the nipper at the end of one stroke, means to close said jaws at the end of said stroke, a device controlled by and cooperating with the nipper during the other stroke of the latter to sever a stamp from said strip after a predetermined length thereof has been drawn through said guiding means, means to open the nipper jaws at the end of its last-named stroke and as'theinipper moves into said position, and means harried bythe nipper and operable on release of the stamp to force the latter against an article.

3. In a machine of the class described, means to intermittently feed articles into position to be stamped, a nipper having relatively movable gripping jaws and mounted to move toward and away from said position, means to guide a continuous strip of stamps into position to be grasped by the .nipper at the end of one stroke. means to close said jaws at the end of said stroke, a

pivoted spring operated severing means arranged to be set by the nipper as it swings into strip gripping position and arranged to be released by the nipper to automatically sever a stamp from the strip after a predetermined length thereof has been drawn through said guiding means, means to open the nipper aws at the end of its last-named stroke and as the nipper moves into said position, and means carried by the nipper and operable on release of the stamp to force the latter against an article.

t. In a machine of the class discribed, means to move articles step by step, and means to apply stamps to articles as they sucessively come to rest in one position, said last-named means comprising, means to receive stamps in continuous strip form, a nipper movable between said receiving means and said position and operable to carry a stamp from the former to the latter, a plunger carried by the nipper, and means operable as the nipper comes into said position to move the plunger to force the stamp against the article.

5. In a machine of the class described, means to move articles step by step and means to apply stamps to the articles as the latter come to rest, said last-named means comprising, a nipper having relatively-movable jaws and pivoted to swing to and from a position wherein it is substantially normal to the articles, a stamp-affixing plunger radially slidable on the nipper, means to guide a continuous strip of stamps so that one end thereof is in position to be grasped by the nipper, means to close said jaws and grip a stamp as the nipper comes to rest adjacent said guiding means,

means to sever the stamp from its supply strip as the nipper moves toward the articles, means to open said jaws as the nipper comes to rest adjacent the articles, and means to move said plunger to carry the released stamp against said articles.

6. In a machine of the class described, means to move articles step by step and means to apply stamps to the articles as the latter come to rest, said last-named means comprising, a dab-hing device movable to engage the articles as they come to rest in one position, a stamp-feeding means, a stampafiixing device movable to carry the fed stamps against the articles as they come to rest in another position, mechanism to move one of said devices, a yieldahle connection between the other device and said mechanism to simultaneously move the former stamps into position to' be grasped b the nipper at the end of one stroke, the a joining stamps of the strip being separated from one another by a row of perforations, a device controlled by the nipper and having a plurality of projections adapted to enter said perforations, said device cooperating with the nipper to sever a stamp from the strip after a predetermined length thereof has been drawn through said guiding means on the return stroke of the nipper, means to Y open the nipper a-ws at the end of its return stroke and as the nipper moves into said position, and means carried by the nipper and operable on release of the stamp to' force the latter against an article.

8; A wrapping machine, including, sup

porting means for the articles, means to able means to hold said jaws'in closed posiad acent sa1d members tion, a pivoted arm engageable w1th the movable aw, and actuating means for sa1d arm constructed to move said arm in one direction to open said,

Jaw-s as said member is positioned adjacent said supporting means and to move said arm in the opposite direction to permit said jaws to close as the member is positioned adjacent said guiding means, whereby the strip may be grasped, drawn along said guiding means and carried to the articles on supporting means, means to sever the strip after a predetermined length thereof has been drawn along the guiding means, and means carried by said member to apply the severed strip to the articles.

9. In a machine of the class described, a runway for the articles, guiding devices for the strip arranged so that 'an end thereof is exposed for grasping and so that such end lies at a distance from the runway, a member mounted to swing from the runway toward the exposed end of said strip and back again, means carried by said member to grip the end of the strip and carry it to the runway, a device automatically operable after said member has moved a predetermined distance toward the runway to sever a portion from said strip, and means carried by said member and operable to apply the severed portion to the articles in the runway.

10. Mechanism'for applyin strips to articles, comprising, a runway, means to move articles along the latter, means supporting the leading end of the strip at a distance fromthe runway, 21: nipper movable back and forth between the latter and said supporting means and operable to grip the leading end of the strip and draw it toward the runway, a severing device controlled by movement of the nipper and operable after l the nipper has moved a predetermined distance to'sever the strip leaving the severed portion in the nipper to be carried to an article in the runway, and means carried by the nipper operable to affix the severed portion conveyed to the articles to the latter.

' ELMER L. SMITH. 

